OPERATIONS CELL

Courses at DPTC have developed and changed over the last few years. A number of factors have caused these changes; the Tri-service nature of DPTC, the developing trade management plans and PMkeyS administration and naming protocols being the main influences.

The Military Police Basic Course no longer exists! The course has been renamed and is now made up of a number of modules. To become a qualified Service Policeman, a member must complete three modules, as applicable to their service, Navy or Army. For full time members the modules run consecutively, twice a year. Army reserve members may complete full time modules; however full time members are not eligible to complete the part time courses.

NAMES

The names of many of the courses have changed! The following table shows the old and new names and details of who should complete each course:

OLD NAME	NEW NAME	PMKEYS CODE	FULL TIME / PART TIME	DETAILS/REMARKS
Military Police Basic Course	Service Police Basic Course (SPBC)	200931	- 67 day program	- This course is for ARA members. - It consists of: - SPBC – GD & OP Safe Mod - SPBC – Invest Mod - Full time members must also complete either the Army or Navy module.

Military Police Basic Course - Part A (Military Police Field Training)	Service Police Basic Course – Army Module (SPBC – Army Mod)	203032	- 16 day part time course - 27 day full time course	- This course is the field training element for Army Military Police trainees. - ARes may complete the full time course; however ARA members must complete the full time course.
Military Police Basic Course – Part B (Military Police General Duties	Service Police Basic Course – General Duties and Operational Safety Module (SPBC – GD & OP Safe Mod)	203028	- 16 day part time course - 47 day full time course, as a part of programmed course (200931)	- This course is general duties and operational safety (defensive tactics) training element for Service Police trainees. - ARes may complete the full time course; however ARA members must complete the full time course.
Military Police Basic Course – Part C (Military Police Basic Investigations)	Service Police Basic Course – Investigations Module (SPBC – Invest Mod)	203029	- 16 day part time course - 47 day full time course, as a part of programmed course (200931)	- This course is general duties and operational safety (defensive tactics) training element for Service Police trainees - ARes may compete the full time course; however ARA members must complete the full time course
Navy Coxswains Course	Service Police Basic Course – Navy Module (SPBC – Navy Mod)	203035	27 day full time course	- This course is the field training element for Navy Coxswain trainees. - This course is a program of courses and includes: - Prohibited substance Testing – Supervisor course, - Alcohol testing course, - Detainee Handling and Tactical Questioning course.

THE SCHEDULE OF COURSES

The SPBC – Full time will be conducted twice a year - usually starting in February and August. It should be noted that the Navy course program is five days longer than the Army course and in order to have the March Out parade on the same day, Navy students start a week prior to the Army students.

It is intended that the SPBC – Army mod– Part Time will be conducted twice a year and will coincide with the full time course Army module field element. This was done for a number of reasons. Firstly, to enable reserve soldiers to be exposed to regular Army members. Secondly, to increase the numbers deploying to the field, adding realism to the training. Lastly, to save resources and time by reducing the number of courses conducted at DPTC, reducing the administration of booking vehicles, ranges and stores. The SPBC – Army mod– Full Time also has a programmed Population Protection and Control (PPC) course, the part time module does not complete the PPC course. This PPC Course is open to all members and DPTC can train up to 60 students on each course; however it is ‘unfunded' (see below for ‘unfunded' details).

The SPBC –GD & OP Safe mod – Part Time will be conducted in the first two weeks of December each year.

The SPBC – Invest mod – Part Time will be conducted in the last week of January (and therefore the first week of February) each year.

FUNDED or UNFUNDED?

DPTC run courses as directed by Training Command – Army. Each course session has either ‘funded' or ‘unfunded' positions, or a combination of both. Funded positions are those where all movements and other associated costs are paid for by Training Command. Unfunded positions are paid for by the member's unit, usually a Land Command unit. There are a number of ‘unfunded' sessions conducted by DPTC, the PPC Course is an example, the Detention Centre Supervisors Course (DCSC) is another. To save costs, an ‘unfunded' course can be conducted in another unit's location; a good example is the DCSC being held in Darwin. 1 Bde pay for the instructors from DPTC to travel to Darwin, much cheaper than moving 24 students to Sydney!